Circle of Life

Birth and death. Living and dying. It happens to all of us. I attended two birthday celebrations last week. One for my precious grandson Liam who turned 3, and one for a long time friend and sister in Christ who turned 90. In another 5 weeks I’ll be traveling with my mom to my daughter’s home for the birthdays of her two sweet daughters as we celebrate Emily turning 9 and Molly turning 6. Candles and cake, gifts and giggles, love and laughter.

A few days ago I saw the ultra sound of a co-worker’s 14 week old child. By the miracle of technology I viewed the head, nose, cheeks, butt, arms and legs. The happy family awaits the child’s arrival in eager anticipation.

We celebrate births and mourn deaths, all the while working through the living that falls in between. My Dad fell and broke his hip 8 days ago. At 83 he still loves life, loves his wife, his kids, his home and books, his dogs. Dad does not love physical therapy or doing anything a doctor tells him. Praise God it was not a bad break, his surgery went well, his rehab should be brief. I still have him around to tell him I love him as often as possible. While my Dad was at the hospital recovering from surgery a dear friend got the call to take her father to the hospital, where he is undergoing tests. My dear daughter-in-law in another country texted last night that her father was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, having suffered a seizure and other life threatening symptoms. Sometimes living is hard, and all we can do is pray for help and healing to the One who is the only real source of comfort, hope and strength. But this is part of living.

Death. Not something any of us prefer to talk about but it waits for each of us. The news of the death of a loved one always brings with it a measure of shock and, if we are fortunate, grief as well. Grief testifying to the fact the person was loved and will be missed, remembered.

The day before I learned of my Dad’s fall, I received news that a cousin had passed away. Bobbie was 61, a cancer survivor – also a survivor of bad choices and their consequences before Jesus to helped turn her life around. She died in another country where she’d gone for experimental treatments. As children we spent many Sundays and family gatherings at Grandmother’s with Bobbie, her two sisters, and our cousin David. We all loved swimming in Grandmother’s above-ground pool, and playing in the huge oak tree in her backyard, a tree so big an army of cousins could swarm its branches and still hide among the leaves. Bobbie was a wild child as a teen / young adult and much of her life was filled with hardship and pain and estrangement from family. But in her later years she had joy and peace amidst her illness because she knew the Prince of Peace, and in that I can rejoice.

Two weeks ago my sister had another granddaughter. New life, a precious newborn baby coming into the world. Smiles laughter hugs, celebration. Then, just two days after the birth of Millie Rose, I played piano for the funeral of a 93 year old saint gone on to glory. Tears, sadness, loss, people missing this mother / grandmother / sister who was such a light in their life. A strong Christian woman, the things said about her are the things I want said about me. She even didn’t like dogs the way I don’t, thought they should be outside, but tolerated them because of the people she loved who loved their dogs.

How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, Rock of Ages, Jesus I Come – you don’t hear those traditional songs as much any more. But we played and sang them as one body, with the Holy Spirit present and Mildred’s smile shining down. Even her name speaks of her generation, Mildred. The name of my own dear mother in law who went to be with Jesus a few years ago. What a privilege to use our gifts and talents in the sending forth of those who have served faithfully and are now in the presence of our lord Jesus. I look forward to talking to Mildred Hart when we all get to heaven – another great song we don’ sing much but we sure did that day. I have suspect we have a lot in common 🙂

Birth and death. Living and Dying. Heaven or Hell. I’m loving my life, but I also know where I’ll go when my time comes – do you?